China. The Period of Disunion and The Sui Dynasty

"China"

by : Karol Padilla

The Period of Disunion & The Sui Dynasty
  In 220 AD the last Han emperor was dethroned by a group of powerful warlords. During the period of disunion (220-589), the warlords established their own private armies and proclaimed their own ruler. Many dynasties were established during this time of turmoil. The time between 220 AD and 265 AD was known as the Three Kingdoms Period.    
    The Sui Dynasty (581-618) was founded by one of two emperors: Yang Chien, an official of the Northern Zhou, who and gave himself the title of Wen Ti, as the Son of Heaven. Wen Ti succeeded in unifying China during this era. After his demise, Wen Ti's son Emperor Yang Kuang (Yang Ti) took the throne with the help of his mother who was able to garner support from the gentry and military generals. The polar opposite of his father, Emperor Yang Ti was portrayed as usurping the imperial power, and was criticized for the lavish spending, coercing and forcing his people to manual labor, and amount of money he spent and his cruelty to the people. Yet most of the policies he followed were simply continuations of his father's policies.
Tang & Song Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was largely a period of progress and stability, except during the An Shi Rebellion and the decline of central authority in the latter half of the dynasty. Like the previous Sui Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty maintained a civil service system by drafting officials through standardized and recommendations to office. This civil order was undermined by the rise of regional military governors known as jiedushi during the 9th century. 0Chinese Culture   flourished and further matured during the Tang era; it is considered the greatest age for Chinese Poetry. Two of China's most famous poets, Li Bai an Du Fu, belonged to this age, as did many famous painters such as Han Gan, Zhan Huang, and Zhou Fang.
Philosophies & Religions
  Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system...